1. Technical Field
The following disclosure relates to an image recording apparatus.
2. Related Art
A conventional image recording apparatus comprises a base, a supporter, a reader, a carriage and a flat cable.
The base has a generally box-like shape having a bottom surface. The supporter is disposed above the base, having a space above the bottom surface of the base. In the supporter, one of opposite surfaces, which is opposite to the other surface facing the bottom surface of the base, is a document supporting surface on which a document is supported. The reader is disposed between the bottom surface of the base and the supporter. The reader extends in a main scanning direction and is held by the carriage. The carriage is capable of reciprocating in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction in a space between the bottom surface of the base and the supporter. One end portion (a first end portion) of the flat cable is attached to the base, while the other end portion (a second end portion) of the flat cable is connected to the reader. The flat cable is flexible.
Described in more detail, the flat cable has a first extending portion, a curved portion and a second extending portion. The first extending portion extends from the first end portion and extends in a direction toward one end (a first end) of the base in the sub scanning direction. The curved portion extends from the first extending portion and is curved in such a manner as extending toward the supporter and then extending in a direction toward the other end (a second end) of the base in the sub scanning direction. The second extending portion extends from the curved portion and extends in a direction toward the second end of the base in the sub scanning direction and extends to the second end portion of the flat cable.
Further, the image reading apparatus comprises a holder. The holder is provided on the carriage. The holder holds an end portion of the second extending portion of the flat cable which is closer to the second end of the base than to a first end portion of the second extending portion. The holder is held in contact with a third surface of the flat cable facing the base.
In the above-described image reading apparatus, when the carriage reciprocates in the sub scanning direction, the reader moves with the carriage and reads the image on the document that is supported on the document supporting surface. In this situation, the curved portion of the flat cable reciprocates with reciprocating movement of the carriage. When the curved portion of the flat cable moves, one of the first extending portion and the second extending portion becomes short, while the other of the first extending portion and the second extending portion becomes long. Accordingly, in the image reading apparatus, the flat cable follows the reciprocating movement of the carriage without interrupting image reading by the reader.